Dialects of German
The politics of it all All languages were standardised to avoid confusion and misinterpretation over the years. These may vary between state, but not within state. Swiss, Austrian and German standards are different and unintelligible to each other. Low German has been discouraged in both the Netherlands and Germany in the past since it was regarded as too Dutch by Germans and too German by Dutch. Bavarian German has held on in Bavaria and Austrian German, which is related to it, served as a major emblem of Austrian identity and independence amongst those who thought merger with Germany was morally wrong. The Luxembourgish language is viewed by it's speakers in the same way as Austrian is by it's speakers. Swiss German is viewed by it's speakers in the same way as Austrian is by it's speakers. It is virtually incomprehensible to other German speekera and Walser is partly incompressible even to Swiss German seekers. German dialects Upper German dialects *lng- Lombardic- Historic. **oh – Old High German- Historic. ***gmh – Middle High German- Historic. ****Upper German (dialect grouping) proper can be generally classified as Alemannic or Bavarian. However, the High Franconian dialects, spoken up to the Speyer line isogloss in the north, are also considered part of the larger Upper German dialect group. Whether they should be included as part of Upper German or instead classified as Central Germanis an open question, as they have traits of both Upper and Central German and are frequently described as a transitional zone. Hence, either scheme can be encountered. Erzgebirgisch, usually lumped in with Upper Saxon on geographical grounds, is closer to East Franconian linguistically, especially the western dialects of Erzgebirgisch. *****'Alemannic' (German: Alemannisch, spoken in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, in the Bavarian region of Swabia, in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, the Austrian state of Vorarlberg and in Alsace, France) ******Swabian (Schwäbisch, spoken mostly in Swabia) ******Low Alemannic (Niederalemannisch) *******Swiss German- Switzerland (as German), Liechtenstein, Vorarlberg (Austria), Piedmont & Aosta Valley (Italy) *******Alsatian (Elsässisch, spoken in Alsace, France, numbered 5) It is native to Alsace. A dialect of Alsatian German is spoken in the United States by the so-called Swiss Amish, whose ancestors emigrated there in the middle of the 19th century. The approximately 7,000 speakers are located mainly in Allen County, Indiana, with "daughter settlements" elsewhere. *******Alemán Coloniero, spoken in Colonia Tovar, Venezuela) *******Basel German (Baseldytsch), Basel German: Baslerdüütsch, German: Baseldeutsch) ******High Alemannic (Hochalemannisch) *******Bernese German (Bernese: Bärndütsch, German: Berndeutsch) *******Zurich German (Zurich German: Züritüütsch, German: Zürichdeutsch) ******Highest Alemannic (Höchstalemannisch) *******Walser German (Walserdeutsch) or Walliser German (Walliser German: Wallisertitsch, German: Walliserdeutsch spoken in the Wallis Canton of Switzerland) *****'Bavarian' (Bavarian: Boarische Språch, German: Bairisch, spoken in the German state of Bavaria, in Austria, and in South Tyrol, Italy ******Austrian Standard German- Spoken in Austria, parts of Italy's Trentino, few near by places in Switzerland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. ******Northern Bavarian (Bavarian: Nordboarisch, German: Nordbairisch, spoken mainly in the Bavarian Upper Palatinate region, numbered 6) ******Central Bavarian (Bavarian: Mittelboarisch, German: Mittelbairisch, spoken mainly in Upper and Lower Bavaria, in Salzburg, Upper and Lower Austria) *******Viennese German (German: Wienerisch, spoken in Vienna and parts of Lower Austria) ******Southern Bavarian (Bavarian: Südboarisch, German: Südbairisch, spoken mainly in the Austrian states of Tyrol, Carinthia and Styria, as well as in South Tyrol, Italy) *******Gottscheerish or Granish (Gottscheerish: Göttscheabarisch, German: Gottscheerisch, Slovene: kočevarščina, spoken in Gottschee, Slovenia, nearly extinct) ******Cimbrian (Cimbrian: Zimbar, German: Tzimbrisch, Italian: Italian: lingua cimbra, spoken in the Seven Communities (formerly also in the Thirteen Communities) in Veneto, and around Luserna (Lusern), Trentino, Italy) ******Mòcheno language (Mòcheno: Bersntoler sproch, Italian: lingua mòchena, German: Fersentalerisch, spoken in the Mocheni Valley, Trentino in Italy) ******Hutterite German (German: Hutterisch, spoken in Canada and the United States) *****'High Franconian' (German: Hochfränkisch, spoken in the Bavarian Franconia region, as well as in the adjacent regions of northern Baden-Württemberg and southern Thuringia) ******East Franconian (German: Ostfränkisch, colloquially just Fränkisch) *******Main-Franconian (German: Mainfränkisch, mainly spoken in Bavarian Franconia, in the adjacent Main-Tauber-Kreis of Baden-Württemberg, as well as in Thuringia south of the Rennsteig ridge in the Thuringian Forest) ********Itzgründish (German: Itzgründisch, spoken in the Itz Valley) *******Vogtlandish (German: Vogtländisch, spoken in Vogtland, Saxony ******South Franconian (German: Südfränkisch, spoken in the Heilbronn-Franken region of northern Baden-Württemberg down to the Karlsruhe district. ******* Central German dialects *lng- Lombardic- Historic. **oh – Old High German- Historic. ***gmh – Middle High German- Historic. ****High German (dialect group) *****Central German (dialect grouping) (German: mitteldeutsche Dialekte, mitteldeutsche Mundarten, Mitteldeutsch) is a group of High German dialects spoken from the Rhineland in the west to the former eastern territories of Germany. Central German divides into two subgroups, West Central German and East Central German. Central German is distinguished by having experienced only the first and fourth phases of the High German consonant shift. It is spoken in the linguistic transition region separated from Northern Germany (Low German/Low Franconian) by the Benrath line isogloss. It is separated from Southern Germany (Upper German) by the Speyer line. Central German is spoken in large and influential German cities like the capital Berlin, the former West Germancapital Bonn, Cologne, Düsseldorf and the main German financial center Frankfurt. The area corresponds to the geological region of the hilly Central Uplands that stretches from the North German plain to the South German Scarplands, covering the states of Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, Thuringiaand Saxony. ******German Standard German (Bundesdeutsches Hochdeutsch) is in Germany. ******Yenish Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Netherlands, and elsewhere. ******Yiddish- Europe, Israel, North America, other regions with Jewish populations. ******'West Central German' (Westmitteldeutsch), part of the Franconian language group *******''Central Franconian'' (Mittelfränkisch) ********Ripuarian (Ripuarisch) *********Colognian language- Cologne ********Moselle Franconian (Moselfränkisch) *********Hunsrückisch dialect- Hunsrück region of Germany (Rhineland-Palatinate). This mountainous region of Germany has long been an exporter of emigrants to the United States, Brazil, Canada, Australia and other parts of the world. It has been noticeably influenced by French. South-American Hunsrik is spoken in the states of Rio Grande do Sul neighboring state of Santa Catarina, in other parts of southern Brazil like Paraná, as well as in the Southeast region such as Espírito Santo and São Paulo, and to a lesser extent in other countries of the region, like Paraguay and Argentina. **********hrx – Riograndenser Hunsrückisch Riograndenser Hunsrückisch, spoken in parts of Brazil, is a Moselle Franconian variety derived primarily from the Hunsrückisch dialect of West Central German. ********Luxembourgish (Luxemburgisch), also considered a Moselle Franconian variant ********Lorraine Franconian (Lothringisch), also considered a Moselle Franconian variant or general term for all Franconian dialects spoken in French Lorraine (francique lorrain) *******''Rhine Franconian'' (Rheinfränkisch) ********Palatinate German (Pfälzisch). The Danube Swabians in Croatia and Serbia also use many elements of it in thire dialect. *********Palatine German- Germany (Southwest Palatinate, Rheinpfalz) **********Pennsylvania German- Pennsylvania; Ohio; Indiana; Ontario; elsewhere in North America and some spots in Central America. ********North Hessian (Nordhessisch) ********East Hessian (Osthessisch) ********Central Hessian (Mittelhessisch) *******'East Central German' (Ostmitteldeutsch) ********Thuringian (Thüringisch) ********Upper Saxon (Obersächsisch) ********Erzgebirgisch ********North Upper Saxon (Nordobersächsisch) ********''Lausitzisch-neumärkisch, [1] also Sorbian language area ********'East Central German dialects spoken in the former eastern territories:' *********Silesian (''Schlesisch), nearly extinct. **********Lower Silesian- Silesia; also spoken in Czech Republic and German Silesia (the area that was part of Prussian Province of Silesia, more or less around Hoyerswerda, now in Saxony) *********High Prussian (Hochpreußisch), nearly extinct. Low German dialects *Ingvaeonic- Historic. **Old Saxon- Historic. *** Middle Low German- Historic. ****Low German (dialect group) (Low German of Germany: Plattdüütsch or Neddersassisch; Low Saxon of the Netherlands: Nedersaksies; German: Niederdeutsch, Plattdeutsch, or Niedersächsisch; Dutch: Nederduits; (also other dialectal variants)) is a West Germanic language spoken mainly in Northern Germany and the northeastern part of the Netherlands. It is also spoken to a lesser extent in the German diaspora worldwide (e.g. Plautdietsch). Low German is most closely related to Frisian and English, with which it forms the Ingvaeonic group of the West Germanic languages. Like Dutch (Istvaeonic), it is spoken north of the Benrath and Uerdingen isoglosses, while (Standard) German (Irminonic) is spoken south of those lines. Like Frisian, English, Dutch and the North Germanic languages, Low German has not undergone the High German consonant shift, as opposed to German. The Low German dialects spoken in the Netherlands are mostly referred to as Low Saxon, those spoken in northwestern Germany (Lower Saxony, Westphalia, Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, and Bremen) as either Low German or Low Saxon, and those spoken in northeastern Germany mostly as Low German. This is because northwestern Germany and the northeastern Netherlands were the area of settlement of the Saxons, while Low German spread to northeastern Germany through eastward migration of Low German-speakers. It has been estimated that Low German has approximately 6.7 million native speakers – 5 million in Germany, primarily Northern Germany, and 1.7 million in the Netherlands. A 2005 study by H. Bloemhof, Taaltelling Nedersaksisch, showed 1.8 million spoke it daily in the Netherlands. *****West Low German ******East Frisian Low Saxon ******Northern Low Saxon ******Westphalian language ******Eastphalian language *****East Low German ******''Brandenburgisch'' ******''Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch'' ******''Mittelpommersch'' ******East Pomeranian- Was native to Pomelrania, but is now spoken in German settled parts of Brazil and the diaspora of post WW2 Pomelranian expellees in Germany and Brazil. ******Low Prussian *******''Plautdietsch'' (Mennonite Low German, used in Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Paraguay, United States and Uruguay). *****Gronings and Noord-Drents ******Hogelandsters ******Oldambtsters ******Stadsgronings ******Veenkoloniaals ******Westerkwartiers *******Kollumerpompsters *******Kollumerlands *******Middaglands *******Midden-Westerkwartiers *******Zuid-Westerkwartiers ******Westerwolds *****Stellingwerfs *****Drents ******Midden-Drents ******Zuid-Drents *****Twents ******Twents-Graafschaps ******''Twents'' *****Gelders-Overijssels ******Achterhoeks ******Sallands ******Oost-Veluws (partly classified as Veluws) ******Urkers *****Veluws ******Oost-Veluws (partly classified as Gelders-Overijssels) ******West-Veluws German slang *Rotwelsch (German: [ˈʁoːtvɛlʃ]) or Gaunersprache (German: [ˈɡaʊnɐʃpʁaːxə], "criminal language") is a secret language, a cant or thieves' argot, spoken by covert groups primarily in southern Germany and Switzerland. Post-colonial creol languages *uln – Unserdeutsch- German-based creole language that originated in Papua New Guinea. Unserdeutsch presumably influenced the development of its neighbour, Tok Pisin. Unlike Namibian Black German in Namibia, it is a creole; indeed, it is the only creole that developed from colonial German. * Namibian German - Currently several hundred thousand Namibians speak German as a second language, and while Namibian German often does not adhere to standard German, it is not pidgin. Currently several hundred thousand Namibians speak German as a second language, and while Namibian German often does not adhere to standard German, it is not pidgin. ** Namibian Black German- Namibian Black German, also called N.B.G., (German: Küchendeutsch, "kitchen German") is a pidgin language of Namibia that derives from standard German. Swiss German Swiss German is a regional or political umbrella term, not a linguistic unity. For all dialects, there are idioms spoken outside Switzerland that are more closely related to them than some Swiss German dialects. The main linguistic divisions within Swiss German are those of Low, High and Highest Alemannic, and mutual intelligibility across those groups is almost fully seamless, though with some minor exceptions, mainly regarding vocabulary. Low Alemannic is only spoken in the northernmost parts of Switzerland, in Basel and around Lake Constance. High Alemannic is spoken in most of the Swiss Plateau, and is divided in an eastern and a western group. Highest Alemannic is spoken in the Alps. *Low Alemannic **Basel German in Basel-Stadt (BS), closely related to Alsatian *High Alemannic **western ***Bernese German, in the Swiss Plateau parts of Bern (BE) ***dialects of Basel-Landschaft (BL) ***dialects of Solothurn (SO) ***dialects of the western part of Aargau (AG) **in a middle position between eastern and western are ***dialects in the eastern part of Aargau (AG) ***dialects of Lucerne (LU) ***dialects of Zug (ZG) ***Zürich German, in Zürich (ZH) **eastern ***dialects of St. Gallen (SG) ***dialects of Appenzell (AR & AI) ***dialects of Thurgau (TG) ***dialects of Schaffhausen (SH) ***dialects in parts of Graubünden (GR) *Highest Alemannic **dialects in parts of Canton of Fribourg (FR) **dialects of the Bernese Oberland (BE) **dialects of Unterwalden (OW & NW) and Uri (UR) **dialects of Schwyz (SZ) **dialects of Glarus (GL) **Walliser German in parts of the Valais (VS) The German dialect spoken in the town of Saas-Fee is a dialect of what is called Walser German and is partly unintelligible to speakers of Standard German. **Walser German: Via the medieval migration of the Walser, Highest Alemannic spread to pockets of what are now parts of northern Italy (P), the north west of Ticino (TI), parts of Graubünden (GR), Liechtenstein and Vorarlberg. Each dialect is separable into numerous local subdialects, sometimes down to a resolution of individual villages. Speaking the dialect is an important part of regional, cantonal and national identities. In the more urban areas of the Swiss plateau, regional differences are fading due to increasing mobility, and a growing population of non-Alemannic descent. Despite the varied dialects, the Swiss can still understand one another, but may particularly have trouble understanding Walliser dialects. Most of the population of Saas-Fee (as of 2000) speaks German (1,243 or 85.5%) as their first language. The German dialect spoken is called Walser German and is partly unintelligible to speakers of Standard German. Serbo-Croatian is the second most common (98 or 6.7%) and Portuguese is the third (47 or 3.2%). There are 16 people who speak French, 12 people who speak Italian and 2 people who speak Romansh. The only non-Alemannic exception within German-speaking Switzerland is the municipality of Samnaun where a Bavarian dialect is spoken. The Swiss Amish of Adams County, Indiana and their daughter settlements also use Swiss German. Bavarian Braverian is closly related to Austrian and both are very deviant from German Standaerd German. *In Bavaria, the language is spoken in Upper Bavaria, Lower Bavaria, and the Upper Palatinate; *In Austria, except Vorarlberg and Reutte; *In Italy in South Tyrol and a handful of linguistic enclaves of Cimbrian and Carnic people in Northern Italy; *The only exception within German-speaking Switzerland is the municipality of Samnaun where a Bavarian dialect is spoken. In Switzerland, it is spoken in the village of Samnaun, in Grisons; *In Sopron (Hungary) and it's surroundings. Three main dialect groups in Bavarian are: *Northern Bavarian, mainly spoken in Upper Palatinate, but also in adjacent areas (small parts of Upper Franconia(Wunsiedel (district) and Bayreuth (district)), Saxony (southern Vogtland), Middle Franconia, Upper Bavaria and Lower Bavaria). *Central Bavarian along the main rivers Isar and Danube, spoken in Upper Bavaria (including Munich, which has a standard German speaking majority), Lower Bavaria, southern Upper Palatinate, the Swabian district of Aichach-Friedberg, the northern parts of the State of Salzburg, Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Vienna (see Viennese German) and the Northern Burgenland. *Southern Bavarian in Tyrol, South Tyrol, Carinthia, Styria, and the southern parts of Salzburg and Burgenland. Austrian German Austrian German (German: Österreichisches Deutsch), Austrian Standard German, Standard Austrian German (German: Österreichisches Standarddeutsch) or Austrian High German (German: Österreichisches Hochdeutsch), is the variety of Standard German written and spoken in Austria. It has the highest sociolinguistic prestige locally, as it is the variation used in the media and for other formal situations. In Germany, however, Standard Austrian German is still confused with some regional standard that is not considered "pure". This despite sound evidence that 80% of Austrian high school students and 90% of Austrian high school teachers consider German a pluricentric language, with more than one standard variety. In less formal situations, Austrians tend to use forms closer to or identical with the Bavarian and Alemannic dialects, traditionally spoken – but rarely written – in Austria. Austrian Standard German- Spoken in Austria, parts of Italy's Trentino, few near by places in Switzerland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. *Dialects of the Austro-Bavarian group, which also comprises the dialects of German Bavaria **Central Austro-Bavarian (along the main rivers Isar and Danube, spoken in the northern parts of the State of Salzburg, Upper Austria, Lower Austria, and northern Burgenland) ***Viennese German **Southern Austro-Bavarian (in Tyrol, South Tyrol, Carinthia, Styria, and the southern parts of Salzburg and Burgenland) *Vorarlbergerisch, spoken in Vorarlberg, is a High Alemannic dialect. Luxembourgish Luxembourgish-Luxembourg; Saarland & north‑west Rhineland‑Palatinate, Germany; Arelerland & Saint-Vith district, Belgium, and; Moselle department, France. Luxembourgish, Luxemburgish(/ˈlʌksəmbɜːrɡɪʃ/ [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Pronunciation_respelling_key LUK-səm-bur-gish]) or 'Letzeburgesch '(/ˌlɛtsbɜːrˈɡɛʃ, ˌlɛtsə-/ [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Pronunciation_respelling_key LETS-bur-GESH, LETS-ə-''] or /ˈlɛtsbɜːrɡɪʃ, ˈlɛtsə-/ ''LETS-bur-gish, LETS-ə-'') (Luxembourgish: ''Lëtzebuergesch) is a West Germanic language that is spoken mainly in Luxembourg. About 390,000 people speak Luxembourgish worldwide. A variety of the Moselle Franconian language, Luxembourgish has similarities with other varieties of Moselle Franconian and the wider group of West Germanic languages. However, the status of Luxembourgish as an official language in Luxembourg and the existence there of a regulatory body, has removed Luxembourgish, at least in part, from the influence of Standard German (which is a Dachsprache for other varieties of Moselle Franconian). There are several distinct dialect forms of Luxembourgish including Areler (from Arlon), Eechternoacher (Echternach), Kliärrwer (Clervaux), Miseler (Moselle), Stater (Luxembourg), Veiner (Vianden), Minetter (Southern Luxembourg) and Weelzer (Wiltz). Further small vocabulary differences may be seen even between small villages. Increasing mobility of the population and the dissemination of the language through mass media such as radio and television are leading to a gradual standardisation towards a "Standard Luxembourgish" through the process of koineization. Also see *Dirndls and matching tracht Sources #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_language #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxembourgish #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxembourgish #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Amish #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bavarian_language #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samnaun #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saas-Fee #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danube_Swabians #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunsr%C3%BCckisch_dialect #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastphalian_dialect #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Pomeranian_dialect #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namibian_Black_German #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_language_in_Namibia#Namibian_German_as_a_dialect #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_German #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erzgebirgisch #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_German #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canton_of_Valais #https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saas-Fee Category:Germany Category:Europe Category:European Union Category:EU Category:Language